ECCLESIASTES 2:1-11 – I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man. So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.”
THEME OF THE DAY: TRAVELING DOWN A DEAD-END ROAD. He was the wisest and richest man ever to walk the face of the earth. He came from good stock; his father was King David. He had the favor of God, yet, he also serves a perpetual warning for all Christians. His name was Solomon. His warning? Let’s call it “traveling down a dead-end road.”
In the wisdom literature of the Old Testament is a book whose authorship is largely attributed to King Solomon. It is a book which should be required reading for all Christians at least monthly for its message reminds us of a truth we too often forget – contentment is found only in God, nothing or no one in this world. The title of this book? Ecclesiastes. The main theme of Ecclesiastes is “vanity, vanity, all is vanity” and comes from a man who learned the hard way about the vanity of attempting to find contentment in the things and people of this world, not the Lord alone. Today’s scripture is Solomon telling us of his sad trip traveling down a dead-end road.
As we read his words, make a list of two things. First, all the times he writes, “I” followed by what he did – searched, made, built, bought, and got are just a few. This man was consumed with himself and when this defines us, there is no room for the Lord Jesus which means no peace of heart, contentment in life, or satisfying purpose in life.
The next list to make of Solomon’s travels is all the things he sought and obtained in his vain attempts to satisfy the yearnings within his heart and life. I won’t list them for us. Please do the exercise yourself and then make a list of the things you might pursue traveling down a dead-end road in your desire for contentment.
God has wired us for happiness, but only in Himself. May He teach us this lesson before we become a Solomon-like warning to others, traveling down a dead-end road!
PRAYER: “Father, protect me from self-deception of trying to find contentment outside of You.”
QUOTE: “Christ alone saves. Christ alone keeps, and Christ alone satisfies.”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim